The Compassion of Althalus
by The Feminist
Summary: [title in progress] Althalus was a thief. Now he is beloved of Dweia, and father to a bunch of remarkable children, with another coming soon. But in his sleep, his dreams tell him his children are in trouble. So what does he do? Chapter 5 up! R&R please!
1. The Nightmares

Disclaimer: I don't own ANYTHING, except the plot. At the moment, at least. :D Enjoy!

Althalus lay in bed with his wife, perfect Dweia, beside him. He patted Dweia's rounded belly, not believing that she was going to have a baby. Dweia smiled at him, being the happy parent she was. Althalus hugged his wife matrimonially, and grinned back at her.

But something was troubling Althalus. Ever since Dweia had announced that she was pregnant to him, his dreams had become … weird. He saw Gher being caught by officers wearing Andine's emblem, Eliar taking a sword in his heart, Leitha being closed off like Koman had. Althalus had decided not to tell his wife, for he didn't want to trouble her.

The dreams still festered in his brain, so he shut Dweia out. She was puzzled by it, and thought nothing of it. But, she still was happy, and untouchable by grief. And Althalus planned to keep it that way.

He dreaded sleep now, but it was natural for him. So, he had to. At least Dweia was there, comforting him through the long nights with nightmares. Althalus slipped into sleep as smoothly as a fish slips into water.

"_Bheid, honey, are you okay?" Leitha asked, concern written all over her face._

_Her husband looked grey and drawn, and she could clearly see bags under his eyes. Being the Grey Robe Exarch was taking a toll on Bheid, and he was neglecting his wife more and more, due to his work. _

_Bheid didn't answer the flaxen-haired Leitha, but instead wearily walked to the bed. Leitha tried to intrude on his thoughts, to find out what was wrong. He blocked her, and slipped into the stone bed._

_Leitha's eyes betrayed a doubt that had previously never been there before._

Althalus jerked upright in the bed, unsettling the bison robe which covered him and his wife. This had gone on far enough. He was going to have to tell Dweia, however unhappy that would make. He wasn't going to endanger his children's relations by ignoring them.

But she looked so peaceful, slumbering beside him. His heart wrenched, but he was going to have to steel his heart, and tell her the truth. Althalus sighed, not a very happy sigh, but a sigh nonetheless. He crouched down next to his pregnant wife, and fell asleep once more.

"_Eliar! Eliar!" Andine screamed at the top of her vibrant voice._

_Her husband looked up at her from the battle field, and smiled happily at her. The Aryo of Osthos had lead the force against Kanthon, of all places. The 'protectorate' had arisen against its protectors, and here they were, laying over green grass, dead._

"_I love you!" the Arya yelled at her husband. She flew down the stairs, and out the gates, ignoring the protests of the guards. Andine ran towards Eliar, as he strode across the ground, shedding his bloody sword as he walked. As she reached him, he picked her up, and they kissed._

_Unbeknownst to them, one man was left standing in the Kanthon force, and he rose from the ground, after playing dead. Andine saw him coming up from behind Eliar, and as she screamed Eliar's name, the Kanthon man raised his sword._

_Eliar looked behind, stowed his wife out of the way, and picked up a sword from a dead man. He blocked the first attack, and stabbed the last man of the Kanthon forces. The patrons in the inns would be lying if they didn't say that Aryo Eliar was one of the finest swordsmen who had ever lived._

_Andine turned her beloved around, and finished the kiss that had been rudely interrupted. _

The rest of the night passed without dreams for Althalus, luckily for him. When he woke up the next morning, Dweia was already awake and eating breakfast. She pointed at the bathtub, and Althalus rolled his eyes, and got in the bath. He washed himself thoroughly, and to hurry himself up, he created his breakfast, and ate it while he cleaned himself.

Althalus rose from the tub, dressed himself, and went to the bench where the Book of Deiwos lay. The Goddess Dweia sat there, looking out the window at the springtime, as he went over what he was going to say to his wife.

"Em …" he started, as Dweia turned to look at him inquiringly. He couldn't do it. He couldn't spoil her happiness. "I just wanted to say, you look lovely today."

"Why thank you, Althie," Dweia said, with a sunny smile, and a flick of her autumn hair. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Althalus, why did you close your mind to me?" she asked.

Althalus sighed, and opened the barriers he had imposed on his mind. He felt a presence there, as Dweia rummaged through his dreams, his fears for their children, and the reluctance of telling her. He went into Dweia's mind as well, and saw her love for him and the children, her protectiveness of Deiwos' creations, her pity for Daeva and Ghend.

Dweia's eyes misted up, as she asked, "Why didn't you tell me earlier Althalus?"

He looked at his feet. "I didn't want you to be upset, with the baby and all."

She hugged him, and gave a tinkling laugh. "Oh, that's so sweet, honey! You don't want to trouble me at all!"

"Yes, well …" He looked up sheepishly at his wife. "There was one good thing, though. The last dream I had last night, was a good dream – Eliar didn't get stabbed by the enemy."

Dweia let go of him, and thought. She looked at Althalus, her eyes pensive. "I think I might know why."

AN: What's going to happen to Leitha, Bheid and the rest of the children? Who's the threat this time? What does Dweia think about the good dream? Wait till next chapter to find out more.

This is my first fanfic, although I've written for Neopets before as mischarox. ! R&R please.


	2. Maghu

A/N: Hey y'all again. Sorry I haven't updated for a week or so … has it been more than that? Well, anyways, here's the next chapter. Let's watch Althalus and Dweia puzzle out answer after answer. _Fun._

* * *

"You see, pet, when you were keeping the dreams to yourself they kept haunting you. But when you decided to tell me, Andine and Eliar successfully won over Kanthon. Good things were affecting your dreams."

"That seems logical, Em. But what happens if these things really happen? And Leitha and Bheid are having fights, and he is neglecting her? Leitha wasn't that strong in the first place, you know she wasn't."

Dweia gnawed on a fingernail. "You're right, she isn't. Althie, I think we'll need our doors again."

* * *

Leitha sat down on a rude stone bench in her house. She was troubled; her husband was ignoring her, and she couldn't do anything about it.

A knock on her front door. She ran to open it, not many visitors came to her modest house in Maghu. Outside stood her parents, the compassionate Althalus, and the very pregnant Dweia.

She ran towards Althalus, crying, "Daddy!" in pure joy. Althalus held his arms open wide, and as Leitha reached him, he enveloped her in a bear hug, squashing the breath out of her.

Althalus wasn't really emotional man, so he stumbled through saying hello to his 'daughter'. Dweia just smiled mysteriously and hugged Leitha herself.

"Come in," Leitha invited, showing the two to a humble stone bench where they could sit down. The flaxen-haired mind-leech sat down on an opposite bench, and asked them why they had come.

"Well," Althalus started, glancing at his wife, "I, er, had a dream."

Leitha rolled her eyes. "And?" she asked, knowing there was more to it than that.

"You and Bheid were having some … disagreements."

Looking at her daddy, Leitha burst into tears. Althalus went and walked over, to hug her once more. She clung to him, wailing.

"It's alright, Leitha. Daddy's here," he reassured her, stroking her hair like you would stroke a baby's. She kept crying, until her eyes had run out of tears.

She looked up at Althalus. "Could you do something for him, Daddy? Or could you, Divinity?" she asked, looking desperate.

Dweia gently smiled at Leitha. For all her crying, she still could tease her mother. "We can only try, dear."

* * *

A slow grey robed man came to the door that Dweia and Althalus had arrived at hours earlier, when it was still light. His eyes were troubled, and his face was grey. Everyone who passed him gave him a wide berth, thinking that he was possessed by the devil.

Exarch Bheid was renowned throughout Perquaine, but at nighttime, he was just another ordinary priest walking through the capital. Another despicable priest, out to steal money. No matter that they had taken a vow of poverty, no matter that he was Exarch. It was always the same.

Bheid shrugged his shoulders, and opened the door to find his radiant wife, and his two parents. He stood there, shellshocked. Dweia came forward to embrace him.

He still stood there, shellshocked.

In a firm, but gruff tone, Althalus said, "Bheid. We need to talk." And cracked his knuckles to make sure that the Exarch understood.

Bheid gulped.

* * *

A/N: lol! Nice … cliffie? Anyways, you should be wondering what Althalus does to Bheid … maybe smashes his head against a wall a few times? Those who have read TRoA will understand what I mean by that. :P Well, I'll update once I have at least one review. So … look forward to the next instalment of The Compassion of Althalus!

To Do List: Think of title. Ask readers to look at little purple box in bottom left corner … (hint hint, nudge nudge)


	3. Rehealed and Revealed

A/N: Well, here's my latest offering. Unless I get a minimum of 25 hits on this chapter, I won't continue the story. Either that or a review. Pretty please! bats eyelashes uselessly pouts Anyway, Althalus gets a shock at the end … someone I know you all know and love … XD Enjoy!

* * *

"Well, Brother Bheid, we have a situation on our hands here," Althalus said, pacing. He then turned to Bheid, and said angrily, "You're destroying Leitha again!"

"Well … I … err …" Bheid stuttered, before looking shamefacedly at his lap. "I guess the priesthood just became more important to me." He looked up at Althalus. "I didn't know Leitha was this hurt inside, Althalus. I really didn't."

"Bheid, at least this time I didn't need to hit your head against the wall to get through to you." The two men smiled at each other.

* * *

Dweia hugged her slender charge. Leitha was crying like a baby into her shoulder, and her mother was comforting her uselessly.

"Its okay, Leitha. It'll all be okay. Althalus won't hurt Bheid …" _Will he?_ Dweia wondered.

"I heard that."

_Oops._

At that moment, the door opened and Dweia was saved from embarrassment. Althalus and Bheid walked in, and immediately, the Grey Robe Exarch went over, and recovered Leitha from her mother. Leitha's face changed expressions from mournful to joyful and kissed Bheid passionately.

Dweia looked questioningly at Althalus, who just said silently, "I'll tell you later." Their work was done there. Now to go back to the House and dream of what would happen next.

* * *

"Have nice dreams, pet," Dweia told Althalus, before rolling over awkwardly and falling asleep in the bison robed bed they slept in.

Althalus certainly hoped that he would have nice dreams, but it was hardly likely with him. He hoped he would have good tidings for once, instead of foreboding dreams.

* * *

_Gher was tinkering with a sword he had found in his house. A looming shadow came up behind him, as the young genius played with the weapon._

"_Now, how many times have I told you not to touch Daddy's weapons?" Alaia asked Gher, with iron in her voice, as she withdrew the sword from his reach._

_Gher pouted. If there was one thing he hated, it was being treated like a baby. He already knew Khalor's name, and Alaia's, so why couldn't he call them by their true names? But _no_, he had to call them mummy and daddy._

"_Now, Gher, we've put up with your genius, your … habits, and your overwhelming interest in adult business. It's just got to stop. Okay, honey?"_

_Gher rolled his eyes. "Yes, mum," he said in a bored voice.

* * *

_

Althalus sat up, sweating and swearing like a pirate. If he knew Alaia was such a control freak, would he have turned Gher over to her? That was scary.

_Well,_ he thought, _I've got my bad tidings for tonight. Let's hope something _good _happens in my next dream._

Althalus fell asleep once more, slipping into sleep easily, with his last thought spiralling around in his brain.

* * *

"_Well, hello, Althalus," a female of about 20 said as if she knew him._

"_Who are you? How do you know me?" It didn't surprise the thief that he could talk in his dreams, although he should have been._

_The lady had black hair, with a distinguishing white streak above her brow. She laughed. "I've been intertwined with your dreams, Althalus, for a while now. I'm Polgara."_


	4. Dream Communication

A/N: Cruel cliffie … well, Polgara's making her mark in Althalus' world – or has someone else, like someone royal ... hint hint, nudge nudge XD. XD I needed some reason to why Althalus has been dreaming like that … I've got one. You'll find out why this chappie … :P Have fun & enjoy! R&R please! Thanks to A-Te Louise for reviewing! I'm aiming to write longer chapters now … you'll see 1000 words+ per chapter hopefully now. Anyways, I'm on a roll - a chappie last night, and one tonight! Please R&R and hope I can get a new chapter up here soon! Enjoy!

_Italics is the dream_, Normal is the reality, or stressed words in the dream. Same with reality.

* * *

"_Polgara? I don't know anyone in my world with the name Polgara." Althalus' subconscious had already picked out that Polgara wasn't all she seemed._

_Polgara smiled. "Althalus, you are something so rare, that where I come from, no one is one."_

"_And that's supposed to make me feel special?" Althalus said wryly._

_A brief wrinkle of the eyes, then Polgara resumed speaking. "In a sense, yes. You're a dream prophet, dear."_

"_Dear?" Althalus' eyebrow rose questioningly. "It's not really practical calling me dear, considering my age."_

"_And how old are you?" the raven-haired Polgara asked._

"_Around two thousand, five hundred years old, give or take a few years."_

"_Well, _dear_, I've outlived you by half a millennium, and my father's over 7000 years old. Now, why don't you think of a rational excuse that I can't call you dear?"_

_Althalus wrung the bottom of the imaginary tunic he was wearing in the dream state. "It's embarrassing," he muttered._

_Polgara laughed, a merry laugh. "Don't worry, dear. I won't do it in front of Dweia, or to her – I know she's a goddess."_

"_That helps. Now, how am I a dream prophet?" Althalus asked, back to business._

"_Well … let's start from the start."_

"_That would make sense."_

_The regal Polgara chuckled, and continued her tale. "When in my world, my nephew, Belgarion, got his son, Geran back, he was overjoyed. Around ten years later, Geran used the Will and the Word – our equivalent of your Books. We heard the commonly associated sound with sorcery, but we saw no effects. So, naturally, Father, Mother, Durnik and I investigated the effects of Geran's spell. There were no physical differences – but I found when I dreamed, I could see different places that didn't exist in our world. I saw someone called Ehlana, who apparently was Queen, and her husband, Preceptor Sparhawk doing something … interesting. I think I'll leave it at that. Then, by chance, I found your dreams. You were the most intriguing person I had found in my search …"_

"_Really? Well, that's a difference."_

"_Don't interrupt, dear. As I was saying, you were the most intriguing person I had found in my search, so I made sure I had extra sleep, so I could visit your world nightly. And whenever you dreamed, I withdrew, and went and looked at your world. It's very pretty, you know. The cities are marvellous."_

"_Civilisation," Althalus said contemptuously. He hated civilisation, especially in Hule, where the forest had been cut down frequently to make room for the towns people wanted to build._

_Polgara looked at Althalus, one eyebrow – the one with the white lock – raised. "Well, that's very … interesting. Anyway, I learnt of the prophetic dreams you had been having, and I was troubled. Could have Geran's spell crossed over to your world? It's entirely possible, I suppose, but improbable. So, what do you think of my little story, dear?" Polgara asked the now spluttering Althalus. _

"_Well," Althalus started dubiously, "it does make sense. Some, at least, if not all."_

_Polgara rolled her eyes. "It's _supposed_ to make sense, you ninny. Now, what do you suppose we are going to do about Gher and Alaia?"_

"We_? How is there a _we_ in this, Polgara?"_

"_Well, you can do it all by yourself if you want," she said, flicking her glorious black hair around as she turned._

"_No, no, that's fine," Althalus said hastily._

"_Good." Polgara turned back around to face him. "Now, as I was saying, what are _we_ going to do about Gher and Alaia?"_

"_We could start with telling them the truth."_

"_What truth? That Gher's a boy genius? Doesn't Khalor know that already?"_

"_Yes, he does. Well I could go to their house, 'accidentally' at the same time Eliar and Andine are, and convince Khalor and Alaia that Gher is more grown up than what he seems to be?"_

"_Umm …" Polgara said, while deep in thought. "That _could_ work, I suppose, but why don't I meet her in person instead?"_

"_In person?" Althalus nearly choked. "How can you if you're in your world?"_

"_Did I forget to mention it? Geran also accidentally cast another spell that opened a portal to this world too," Polgara said with eyes wide innocently._

_Althalus muttered some choice oaths under his breath, and asked politely, "Did you consider that some of your enemies might have gone through the portal as well?"_

"_Yes," Polgara said, insulted. "It's called hiding, Althalus, and I think you've done it more than a few times before, dear."_

_Althalus glared at her, and as if she was Emmy, said, "Be nice. I didn't know that. And, pray, how are you going to get back?"_

"_We go back through the portal, you nitwit. It's not that hard to figure out."_

"_How was I supposed to know that it was a two-way portal? It could have been a one-way one, so don't bite my nose off," he pleaded. "Just give me the benefit of the doubt for once. Just once."_

"_Well, I normally wouldn't, but since you are about to wake, I will now. I'll meet you at Alaia's house in three days time," Polgara said, fading from the view of his dream-self._

"_I'll see you soon, Polgara," he called after her, as he realised he was about to wake. "I'll see you soon," he said to himself once, as he awoke.

* * *

_

Dweia rubbed her eyes, having just woken up, and heard her husband muttering in his sleep.

"I'll see you soon, Polgara. I'll see you soon," he said, tossing and turning. Dweia could not help but to think something was up. As far as she knew, Polgara wasn't an age-old famed sorceress whom had been favoured by Torak, but a blowsy barmaid whom Althalus had slept with in his early days.

As Althalus' eyes fluttered open, Dweia fixed him with an ice cold glare. "Who's she?"

"Who's what?" he asked groggily, still partly asleep.

"_Polgara_," she spat with hatred.

"Well …" he started uselessly.

"Well what?" she asked, her voice still full of venom.

"It's not what you think it is."

"I'm glad it's not, otherwise I think you would have to move rooms."

"Polgara – as you may have guessed – is a lady, but what you don't know is that she's a sorceress from another world."

"Another world?" Dweia asked, with scepticism clear in her rich voice.

"Yes, Emmy, another world. She came over in a portal which was unintentionally created by her great-nephew, and hid it once she had come through. Her great-nephew also cast a spell – his first one, I may add – which allowed her spirit to go into someone else's mind for a period of time – which is while she slept," Althalus excitedly explained.

"Well, I hope she isn't getting any ideas," she said, focusing the point of her words on an affair.

"She has some brilliant ones!" Althalus unwittingly said, not listening to the tone of his wife's voice. "She said that she would …" Mid-sentence he saw Dweia's eyes, which looked like pure ice, and muscles around her eyes tighten. "But nothing like _that_, dear," he said quickly.

"I hope not, pet," she said, hostility still not out of her tone.

"Definitely not, Em. The only being that _I_ love with my whole heart and soul is you, dear." He walked up to his wife's side, and started tickling her. Dweia started laughing, like he knew she would, and he kissed her.

_From the camp which she stayed, Polgara's dream-self watched the brief interchange. "Have fun, children," she said, as she started to wake._


	5. Introductions

A/N: My latest offering in TCoA. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Guess what?

Althalus: What?

Athe-san: I don't own you!

Althalus: Yay!

Athe-san: -sulks in corner-

* * *

RR: Review Response

Thank you to Darsha Assant and LucretiaDeNoche for reviewing and putting this story on their Alert list! I love you guys!

* * *

Three days later, as promised, Althalus and Dweia showed up at Alaia's place, outside the village where Albron resided. From the distance, he saw a group of visitors, riding towards the same house.

"Who are they?" Dweia whispered, for they looked completely different from the common Arum. For one, three of them were wearing velvet, two men and one lady. Completely out of place.

But Althalus had seen further to the raven-haired lady with the imperial bearing. He turned triumphantly to his wife, saying, "See the black-haired one? She's Polgara. I told you they would come!"

Dweia rolled her eyes, before turning back to the spectacle before them. Her keen eyes gazed over the group. There was one grey-haired old man, with a short, stubbly beard, an auburn-haired lady talking animatedly with a sandy-haired man, who both wore velvet, and a weasel-faced short man, watching around for danger constantly, like another woman, who had honey-blonde hair.

In comparison with those guests, there was a young boy, who couldn't have been more than fourteen, who was carrying a … wolf? Althalus' eyes narrowed as he spotted that detail as well, and he remembered that wild tale he had told the gatekeeper at Gosti Big Belly's fort.

A big brute, who had bright red hair, was talking with a tall man with a long ponytail, and Polgara was chatting with an average-looking man Dweia guessed was her husband.

"Ho, Polgara!" Althalus yelled suddenly, and Polgara's attention snapped from her husband to her newly-found friend.

_Hello, Althalus. You don't need to shout._

_Polgara … what are you doing in my mind?_

_I'm not actually in it, just talking to you with mine._

_Oh. That's okay then. _Althalus then turned to Dweia, and took her hand. Dweia didn't even notice, because she was so caught up with looking at the assorted bunch riding towards them.

When Althalus shouted, the brutish man jerked back, obviously startled, and then set his eyes on Althalus, and his face developed a huge grin. The ratty man didn't even give poor Althie a second glance.

The old man seemed happy. It might have been because of the tawny-haired woman with yellow eyes next to him, but something in his eye told Dweia he wasn't completely sober, and he was haunted by something in his past.

As the motley crew rode closer, the two residents of the House could start to hear the booming voice of the redhead, and the grave voice of the man he was talking with. All Dweia did at these people was raise an eyebrow.

Basically what happened as the group on horseback continued its leisurely pace; Althalus and his wife inspected the humans (and wolves!) and chatted between themselves quietly, less at ease then the loudly talking redhead.

_So, Polgara …_ Althalus started, reopening mind-to-mind contact the way Polgara had earlier … _who are these people?_

_These are my friends, and relatives, dear. I will tell you who each of these people are, and a bit about them. Does that sound good to you? _Without waiting for a response, Polgara started to talk.

_The red haired one with the loud voice is Barak. He's a Cherek, a sea-faring person. Barak's also the Earl of Trellheim, and married with three kids, two girls and a boy._

_The short man is Silk. That isn't his real name, just a nickname – his real one is Prince Kheldar of Drasnia. He's an acrobat, a thief, and a spy among things. He's married to Liselle, who was formerly a Margravine – she's the one with the honey-blonde hair looking around._

_The boy is Geran, my nephew. He's Crown Prince of Riva, and Belgarion and Ce'Nedra are his parents, and monarchs of Riva. They're the two with the sandy hair and the auburn hair. The wolf he's holding is called Wolf._

_Very apt, _Althalus thought.

_Don't interrupt, dear. The tall man is Prince Hettar, a horse lord from Algaria, who is a Sha-Dar – someone who can talk to horses._

_My fool of a father is the one with the white hair, and Mother is the one with tawny hair. My father's name is Belgarath, and Mother's name is Poledra._

_Oh, and my husband's name is Durnik, and he's a blacksmith and the newest disciple of my God, Aldur._

_There would be others coming, but they couldn't make it. These people include Zakath and Cyradis, Emperor and Empress of Mallorea, Lelldorin and Mandorallen, both Arends, and Relg and Taiba, an Ulgo and a Marag. Anything else? _Polgara finished.

_Um … no, not that I can think of,_ Athalus said, overwhelmed.

_Alright, then. I'm going to tell them about you and Dweia, if that's okay._

_That's fine. While you're at it though, you should tell them about Gher, Andine and the others._

_Dear … _Polgara paused. _I don't know them._

Althalus rolled his eyes. _I guess I'm going to have to tell you, then._

_I guess you are._

_Well, the people we're coming to visit are Sergeant Khalor and Alaia. They are both Arums, a warlike people, and Alaia is the mother of Eliar, and the adoptive mother of Gher. Gher, himself, we think is from Hule, and he's a boy genius and a thief._

_Eliar is the husband to Andine, and they are the Aryo and Arya of Osthos. They are both around 20 now, and still very much in love._

_Then there's Leitha and Bheid. Leitha is a mind-leech, and can read people's minds. Bheid is the Grey Robe Exarch, the leader of one of the faiths in this world._

_Dweia is one of the Gods on this planet, the other being Deiwos, the creation god, and Daeva has … been killed, but originally, he was the God of nothingness. Dweia is the goddess of continuance and preservation, if that makes any sense.._

_And you know me, Althalus. I used to be a thief 2500 years ago, before Emmy, that's Dweia, took me in, and now I guess I'm her husband. I can cast spells using The Book of Deiwos, by saying a word in the Old Language and thinking about what I want to do. That's basically it, I think._

_Okay then, dear. Let's liberate Gher once and for all._

_

* * *

_Well, there's my latest offering for a bit - or until I finish writing the next chapter, at least. Expect the reason why Pol and the rest is here to come in the next few chapters ... XD 


End file.
